Cabinet approves laws to more robustly protect undersea cables, pipes

Taipei, Sept. 18 (CNA) Taiwan's Cabinet on Thursday approved amendments to strengthen protection of undersea cables and pipelines in the wake of a series of incidents around the island.

The revisions align penalties for damaging water and gas pipelines with those for cutting submarine cables, with intentional damage to cables or pipelines punishable by one to seven years in prison and fines of up to NT$10 million (US$333,000).

Unintentional damage due to negligence may bring up to six months in prison or fines of up to NT$2 million.

Tools, ships, and equipment used in alleged criminal activity may also be seized, officials said.

The bills, to be sent to the Legislative Yuan, also authorize confiscation of vessels and require ships to keep their automatic identification systems (AIS) switched on.

The Cabinet noted that several cases of vessels cutting cables in violation of rules have already "affected the security of Taiwan's territory and critical infrastructure" this year.

Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲), head of Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council (OAC), said many offenders use old, low-cost ships and often disable or falsify identification systems.

The new rules, she said, will reduce the number of "dark ships" and give Taiwan's Coast Guard stronger legal grounds for enforcement.

Foreign vessels loitering in Taiwan's waters could be barred from entering ports or ordered to leave, she said.

Kuan noted that in August last year, 37 Chinese vessels and 554 ships from other countries stayed more than 15 days within Taiwan's 12-nautical-mile zone, many of them temporary-use or substandard vessels.

She said Taiwan's Coast Guard and the Maritime Port Bureau have set up joint procedures, including warnings and fines for vessels that fail to keep AIS active.